Not sure why so confusing. Tourists can not be landlords. It is as simple as that. Just as they can not earn income from other sources generated in Mexico. I doubt it is very different in other countries.
It also makes it easy as a tenant to hold the landlord hostage.
And, yes tourists open bank accounts all the time.
The comment below is pure silliness.

Or expat landlords. :-)
Or tenants who follow the law when the landlord resides out of Mexico? I bet they have no idea of what is the law regarding withholding tax on their rent and paying it.
This is how I interpret the law but I also post the source:
Foreign residents (not residing in Mexico) who are landlords etc. subject to tax payment in Mexico generally fulfilll this obligation when the person (tenant, etc) who pays them withholds the tax and pays it to the Tax Administration Service (Servicio de Administración Tributaria). Here are the laws:
Residents in Mexico, or foreign residents with a permanent establishment in Mexico, and who pay foreign residents, are compelled to withhold the tax. When the rent is paid to a trust company / property manager, the fiduciary institution must issue the receipts, withhold and pay the corresponding tax. The tax is 25% that tenant must withhold by law.
The person who withholds the tax must pay monthly, at the latest on the 17th day of the following month to that in which withholding was carried out. If a fiduciary they must pay by 15th of the following month. Payment shall be made through the Internet or at a banking window, according to the person's obligation. Here is the law: http://www.sat.gob.mx/english/Paginas/English/tax_treatment_residents_in_mexico.aspx

This is interesting. http://www.banderasnews.com/1709/re-paying-mexico-rental-property-taxes.htm
And a related article: http://www.banderasnews.com/1709/nb-vallarta-property-rental-income-tax.htm
Your landlord must give you a fiscal receipt or invoice in exchange for the rental payment. A fiscal receipt must show the landlord's full name, fiscal domicile, RFC, the rental property address, your RFC (if you have one, otherwise the generic RFC for "Sales to the General Foreign Public" XEXX010101000 must be used), the rent amount, the period covered by that payment and, if a furnished dwelling, the IVA tax must be disclosed, and the receipt must be duly authorized by the SAT; otherwise it is not a valid fiscal receipt and may mean that the landlord is committing tax fraud, money laundering and other crimes. More here: http://www.soniadiaz.mx/real-estate.html

I agree with the issues at Houston and staff being very difficult vs Laredo staff who are there to make it happen. In Houston clients, who are a family of 4 were asked for a apostille marriage license. They then went to Laredo and they were done in about 2 hours.
Consulates that take appointments require one appointment per person meaning a couple, 2 appointments, a family of 4 needs 4 appointments so they may set aside the time. Laredo appointments are only between 8 am to 11 am.
At least every other week clients go to Laredo including Canadians. I make their appointments on line and they are done in approx. 90 minutes. They take the requirements as per my web site. http://www.soniadiaz.mx/immigration---visas.html No one has been declined.
For other consulates I also recommend reading the consulate's web site. Some only take appointments visa email and not the national web site; some allow walk-ins; Chicago has only a 1 hour window for appointments; Calgary, Orlando, Miami consulate staff and others can be difficult.
Thanks to all who find my web site beneficial. It averages 1000 views per day; 61,000 total in the months of July and August.

There is a link from my web site to here: http://www.sat.gob.mx/aduanas/vehiculos/importacion_temporal/Paginas/automoviles.aspx
It states title or registration. And as noted Canadian provinces do not have a title and you will never get one so I do not know how it could be held in impound, legally.
On my web site is the English translation and Article 106 s there as well in both languages.
I would print these out along with Article 106 and carry in my foreign plated car.

If one can leave with a 10 year TIP then what is the difference in leaving without your vehicle which has a 180 day TIP?
Pls do not quote Steve to me geesh that is that last person I would believe except for what he copies from my web site. And when he says he talked to some one where are their names and contact info as I post?
Anyone who has the question can call Carlos and ask the law and rationale vs debating at length myths and misinformation.

I followed up in this question recently and updated my web site. The response from my call answers Mainecoons' question above and all vehicles with a valid TIP brought in by tourists.
The question often comes up, if as a tourist with a foreign plated car in Mexico, may I fly out and leave the car in Mexico as long as the TIP has not expired. The answer is yes you may as per my conversation with Carlos de la Rosa, an employee of SAT. His number is 01-551-203-1000, ext. 47483. He is also the Retorno Seguro contact.

There is not one traffic light in all of San Miguel and rarely an accident at cross streets. The rule is one car goes and then the next one coming to the side goes. We have enough congestion in centro esp that no one wants traffic lights. And the first rule here is pedestrians first. It surprisingly works well for a city of 90,000 and 180,000 in the total municipality. And never an issue of traffic lights not working.
SMA also now closes some streets to traffic around the jardine giving pedestrians priority.

I realize it varies but in San Miguel if one is a TR or PR and not a citizen you are at least at Decil 5 and you pay. The lowest payment for a visa holding client is ~1100 pesos and sometimes ~1500 pesos per person. When one pays at least here, your enrollment is only for 1 year. For those who do not pay, coverage is for 3 years. Two people with exactly same answers but with one being say 65 and the other 58; the 58 year-old will pay a little more. And two people with same answers .. renting, no car, etc, but one being a citizen and one a visa holder, the citizen will not pay and the visa holder will. At least in GTO state, the computer system will always generate a payment for a visa holder but as noted the actual cost is very low and always a fraction of IMSS. Also, IMSS has almost no coverage in the first year and excludes those with pre-existing conditions.
In the past no one paid and this change started a few months ago. I have signed up at least 2000 people and I also represent SP at seminars.
At lakeside it may be different.

The Retorno Seguro is no longer available from Mexico City. The process wisely has reverted to the old method. For example, in Guanajuato State one goes to SAT in Celaya and you are done in an hour. There is no cost but numerous documents are required.

There are situations in which a MX national may have a TIP on a foreign plated car. As per my web site:
Mexican Nationals Living Abroad may obtain a TIP. As well as proving work abroad for a year or more, they must submit the document issued by the immigration authorities of the foreign country proving they are a permanent or temporary residents abroad by the legal authority of that country in accordance with international agreements to which Mexico is a party.